Earthquakes in Mýrdalsjökull
They stared around midnight last night, 30. June
There has been increased earthquake activity around Katla the past few days. An earthquake sequence started shortly after midnight 30. June. By 6:30 in the morning, 95 earthquakes had been detected, 8 over M3 and the largest was M4.4. The earthquake activity in Mýrdalsjökull the past weeks has been the most that has been measured there since fall 2016. Unusually high electrical conductivity for this time of year has been measured in Múlakvísl. Gases associated with geothermal waters have been measured at Láguhvolar. The measurements suggest elevated geothermal activity as the cause of the observed changes but it is not possible to exclude the possibility of magma movements.
Here you see a picture from this morning from the webcam on the bridge over Múlakvísl along the ring road.
It is possible that water levels in Múlakvísl will rise due to additional geothermal water entering the river. Gas levels near the river may increase as the geothermal water in the river increases. The weather forecast for the weekend suggests light winds that may allow gases to concentrate.
In the coming days, earthquakes may keep happening in Mýrdalsjökull. Earthquakes increase the risk for rock and ice fall. People are advised to stay back from where Múlakvísl exits Kötlujökull and off of Kötlujökull.
